Tuesday's letters: Stony Plain Road underpass needs more study

Edmonton Journal

Published on: March 6, 2018 | Last Updated: March 6, 2018 6:00 AM MST

An artist's rendering of the proposed underpass at 149 Street and Stony Plain Road. The plan would run 149 Street below grade and under Stony Plain Road. The city estimates the underpass could cost as much as $200 millionSupplied / Edmonton

The underpass will not fundamentally change traffic going north and south on 149 Street at Stony Plain Road (SPR).

There would still be only two lanes going north and two lanes going south. The only saving in time would be the light sequence when traffic is turning off of SPR onto 149 Street as the turning lanes would be above the 149 Street underpass. How much time is really being saved and at what cost?

Access to SPR when travelling south on 149 Street would not be possible anymore. Also, the underpass requires the demolition of many important businesses on the east side of Jasper Gates and others north of SPR along 149 Street.

The city has stated the underpass would require major connection to the underground drainage system in MacKinnon Ravine. This plan is estimated to cost $200 million.

Why would the underpass be recommended by administration before completing a traffic study? Perhaps it has to do with the city’s objectives of increasing density by acquiring land for redevelopment. I doubt removing these necessary businesses could be justified as a transit-oriented development objective.

Let’s wait for the traffic report and hopefully a community impact study before any decision is made.

Cartoon shows regressive view of women

As a Canadian woman, I believe there are legitimate feminist criticisms of the recent federal budget and the tendency of governments to embrace symbolic equality but fall short on action on equity.

However, that does not mean that gender is an irrelevant distraction from the economy. Women’s economic participation plays an important role in the health of our country, with a McKinsey Institute report noting that provincial action on gender equity in the workplace could increase GDP by four to nine per cent.

I am particularly troubled by the coding of the economy as male and gender as female. Women are economic participants and constitute approximately half of the Canadian population. Men also have a gender, and gender-based policy analysis should consider all gendered-policy effects, both positive and negative.

While I respect the role of the editorial cartoonist, this image represents a regressive view of women’s role in Canadian society. We are not simply sexy distractions to the economic health of the country; we are equal participants in our shared national future, and our governments’ budgets should consider us all.

Bridget Stirling, Edmonton

B.C. vacation-home tax will force Albertans out

British Columbia’s new so-called speculation tax attacks Albertans. Many thousands of Albertans who own vacation homes in B.C. are affected.

An Edmontonian who owns a vacation home in Kelowna may have to pay $15,000 or $20,000. A resident of B.C. who owns the same vacation home would pay nothing. The tax is so large that many Albertans will be forced to sell. This is pure discrimination based on where you live. Aren’t we all Canadians?

While the Alberta government was announcing that it was rescinding the ban on B.C. wine, the B.C. government was secretly planning this tax designed to escalate the trade war and force Albertans out of British Columbia. We need our Alberta government to publicly stand up for Albertans.

Jim Casey, Edmonton

Grass clippings feed your lawn

Thousands of conscientious Edmontonians have been using mulching mowers on their lawns for decades. The misinformation and hysteria regarding the decision to ban grass clippings is surprising.

The following is taken from the Scotts Fertilizer website: “The most important thing you can do for your lawn is to feed it regularly, and grass clippings contain the same beneficial nutrients, like nitrogen and potassium, as lawn food. In fact, clippings can provide as much as one-third of the annual feeding requirement for your lawn.”

A.A. Bialowas, Edmonton

Political correctness running rampant

In order to comply with political correctness and gender neutrality, we will have to change the way we report on sporting events. For example: The Edmonton Non-renewable Fossil Fuel Royal Persons defeated the Calgary Hitpersons in overtime. Edmonton enjoyed a one-person advantage and the Edmonton defenseperson head-personned the puck past the linesperson.

Where will it end ?

J.J.Rohrer, Sherwood Park

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